US20040040659A1 - Semiconductor processing apparatus with integrated weighing device - Google Patents

Semiconductor processing apparatus with integrated weighing device Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20040040659A1
US20040040659A1 US10/233,895 US23389502A US2004040659A1 US 20040040659 A1 US20040040659 A1 US 20040040659A1 US 23389502 A US23389502 A US 23389502A US 2004040659 A1 US2004040659 A1 US 2004040659A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
substrate
substrates
processing
chamber
cassette
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
US10/233,895
Other versions
US6902647B2 (en
Inventor
Albert Hasper
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ASM International NV
Original Assignee
ASM International NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ASM International NV filed Critical ASM International NV
Priority to US10/233,895 priority Critical patent/US6902647B2/en
Assigned to ASM INTERNATIONAL N.V. reassignment ASM INTERNATIONAL N.V. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: HASPER, ALBERT
Publication of US20040040659A1 publication Critical patent/US20040040659A1/en
Assigned to ASM INTERNATIONAL N.V. reassignment ASM INTERNATIONAL N.V. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BAJOLET, PHILIPPE GEORGE M.
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US6902647B2 publication Critical patent/US6902647B2/en
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67011Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
    • H01L21/67155Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations
    • H01L21/67161Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations characterized by the layout of the process chambers
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67242Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking
    • H01L21/67253Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/677Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
    • H01L21/67763Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
    • H01L21/67769Storage means
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02104Forming layers
    • H01L21/02107Forming insulating materials on a substrate
    • H01L21/02109Forming insulating materials on a substrate characterised by the type of layer, e.g. type of material, porous/non-porous, pre-cursors, mixtures or laminates
    • H01L21/02112Forming insulating materials on a substrate characterised by the type of layer, e.g. type of material, porous/non-porous, pre-cursors, mixtures or laminates characterised by the material of the layer
    • H01L21/02118Forming insulating materials on a substrate characterised by the type of layer, e.g. type of material, porous/non-porous, pre-cursors, mixtures or laminates characterised by the material of the layer carbon based polymeric organic or inorganic material, e.g. polyimides, poly cyclobutene or PVC
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02104Forming layers
    • H01L21/02107Forming insulating materials on a substrate
    • H01L21/02225Forming insulating materials on a substrate characterised by the process for the formation of the insulating layer
    • H01L21/0226Forming insulating materials on a substrate characterised by the process for the formation of the insulating layer formation by a deposition process
    • H01L21/02282Forming insulating materials on a substrate characterised by the process for the formation of the insulating layer formation by a deposition process liquid deposition, e.g. spin-coating, sol-gel techniques, spray coating
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01LSEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/04Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
    • H01L21/18Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier, e.g. PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising elements of Group IV of the Periodic System or AIIIBV compounds with or without impurities, e.g. doping materials
    • H01L21/30Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26
    • H01L21/31Treatment of semiconductor bodies using processes or apparatus not provided for in groups H01L21/20 - H01L21/26 to form insulating layers thereon, e.g. for masking or by using photolithographic techniques; After treatment of these layers; Selection of materials for these layers
    • H01L21/312Organic layers, e.g. photoresist

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to semiconductor processing tools and, more particularly, to semiconductor processing tools which allow the success of a process carried out on a substrate within the tool to be gauged without first removing the substrate from the tool.
  • Semiconductor processing generally involves subjecting substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, to a series of processes to form layered structures on the substrates.
  • substrates such as semiconductor wafers
  • it is determined that a process carried out on one batch of substrates was unsuccessful it is usually desirable to identify and correct the problem prior to carrying out the same process on another batch of substrates so as not to risk having to discard additional substrates.
  • an apparatus for processing substrates comprises a substrate handling chamber provided with an interface to receive a cassette.
  • a substrate handler is located within the handling chamber, and is adapted to unload substrates to be processed from the cassette received at the interface and to reload processed substrates into the cassette.
  • a reaction chamber is adjacent to the handling chamber for processing the substrates.
  • a weighing device is accessible to the substrate handler. The weighing device is adapted to weigh the substrates before and after processing the substrates in the processing chamber.
  • a method for processing substrates in a processing tool that includes a substrate handling chamber, a processing chamber adjacent to the handling chamber and a weighing device.
  • the method comprises loading a cassette into communication with the handling chamber, unloading substrates from the cassette, and loading the substrates into a substrate carrier. At least one of the substrates is weighed with the weighing device prior to loading the at least one substrate into the substrate carrier. The substrates are processed and the substrates are then moved out of the processing chamber. The at least one substrate is weighed with the weighing device after processing, and a change in weight of the at least one substrate resulting from the processing is determined.
  • a method for processing at least one substrate in a processing apparatus having an integrated weighing device.
  • the method comprises weighing a substrate with the weighing device prior to processing and transferring the weighed substrate into a process chamber.
  • the weighed substrate is annealed in the process chamber.
  • the weighed and annealed substrate is then transferred out of the process chamber and re-weighed the weighing device after annealing, in order to determine an amount of weight lost by the substrate during annealing.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus having features and advantages in accordance with the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic top plan view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevational view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1, with a portion of the housing removed to show the location of the weighing device within the apparatus.
  • FIGS. 1 - 3 One exemplary embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus or tool 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 - 3 .
  • the apparatus 20 includes a housing 30 installed in a so-called “clean room.”
  • a processing area or chamber 32 is defined at a back end within the housing by a first wall or partition 36 , as illustrated in FIG. 2.
  • a substrate handling chamber 38 is defined within the housing 30 between the first partition 36 and a second partition 42 .
  • a cassette transfer chamber 46 is defined within the housing 30 between the second partition 42 and a third partition 48 .
  • a front end part, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a cassette loading station 50 is provided on the opposite side of the third partition 48 for moving a plurality of cassettes 60 containing substrates 70 into and out of the apparatus 20 .
  • the cassettes 60 are standard front-opening unified pods (“FOUPs”), which typically hold 25 substrates 70 and have doors that can be closed to provide sealed environments for the substrates 70 and opened to provide access to the substrates 70 .
  • a cassette handling device or robot 78 is provided in the cassette transfer chamber 46 to transport the cassettes 60 from the loading station 50 through a closable opening 82 to a cassette store 86 .
  • the cassette store 86 comprises a number of vertically aligned rotary platforms 88 on which the cassettes 60 can be supported.
  • the cassette handling device 78 is movable in a vertical direction by means of an elevator 92 so that the various platforms 88 of the cassette store 86 can be accessed by the cassette handling device 78 .
  • the cassette handling device 78 includes a cassette end effector 96 which, in the embodiment shown, has dimensions slightly smaller than the dimensions of a plurality of cut-outs 98 provided in the rotary platforms 88 .
  • the cassette handling device 78 is operable to transport the cassettes 60 between the cassette loading station 50 and the store 86 .
  • the end effector 96 can be lowered or raised through the cut-outs 98 of the platforms 88 to lower the cassettes 60 onto, or raise the cassettes 60 off of, the platforms 88 .
  • a rotatable cassette transfer platform 100 is provided adjacent the partition 42 between the cassette transfer chamber 46 and the substrate handling chamber 38 .
  • the cassette transfer platform 100 of the illustrated embodiment includes two levels 102 (see FIG. 1) which can be rotated independently of one another.
  • the cassette handling device 78 is adapted to transport the cassettes 60 between the store 86 and the cassette transfer platform 100 .
  • the cassette handling device 78 can transport the cassettes 60 directly between the cassette loading station 50 and the cassette transfer platform 100 , bypassing the store 86 .
  • the transfer platform 100 can be rotated so that the doors of the cassettes 60 are positioned against an interface portion 110 of the partition 42 .
  • the interface portion 110 of the partition 42 preferably includes closeable openings 120 (see FIG. 3) through which the cassettes 60 can be accessed.
  • a substrate handler or robot 130 is provided in the handling chamber 38 .
  • the substrate handler 130 is adapted to transfer substrates 70 between the cassettes 60 positioned against the interface portion 110 of the partition 42 and a substrate carrier 140 , such as the illustrated vertical wafer boat.
  • the substrate carrier 140 is situated in the handling chamber 38 adjacent to the substrate handler 130 .
  • Such an arrangement is found, for example, in the commerically available Advance 412TM vertical furnace tool, commerically available from ASM International N.V. of Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
  • the substrate carrier 140 preferably holds greater than about 50 substrates, and in the illustrated embodiment holds 100 substrates 70 .
  • a transfer arm 146 is provided adjacent to the substrate carrier 140 .
  • the transfer arm 146 is adapted to move the substrate carrier 140 between the handling chamber 38 and the processing chamber 32 through a closeable opening 152 provided in the partition 36 .
  • the substrate handler 130 can load substrates into carriers 140 that are situated in the processing chamber 32 .
  • the substrate carrier is positioned within the process chamber, and the handler loads the wafers onto the carrier through a door between the process chamber and the handling chamber.
  • a horizontal boat transfer mechanism which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a turntable or carousel 164 , is provided in the processing chamber 32 .
  • a pair of reaction chambers or vertical furnaces 170 are provided above the carousel 164 .
  • the carousel 164 can be rotated to position substrate carriers 140 supported on the carousel 164 below the furnaces 170 .
  • a lift arm 182 is provided below each of the furnaces 170 to raise and lower the substrate carriers 140 into and out of the furnaces 170 .
  • Cut-outs 186 are provided in the carousel 164 for passage of the lift arm 182 as the substrate carriers 140 are lifted off of and lowered back onto the carousel 164 .
  • the processing apparatus 20 also includes an integrated weighing device 200 .
  • the weighing device 200 is accessible to the substrate handler 130 . More preferably, the weighing device 200 is located adjacent to the substrate handling chamber 38 . In the embodiment shown, the weighing device 200 is provided above the cassette transfer platform 100 . The weighing device 200 abuts the partition 42 between the transfer chamber 46 and the handling chamber 38 , and can be accessed from the handling chamber 38 through an opening 204 (see FIG. 3) in the partition 42 , which is preferably provided with a door. The substrate handler 130 can thus easily access the weighing device 200 to insert and remove substrates 70 from the device 200 .
  • the weighing device 200 is located in the transfer cassette chamber 46 in the embodiment shown, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the optimum location for the weighing device 200 will depend on the particular design of the processing apparatus in which it is employed.
  • the weighing device 200 may be of any suitable type, but in the illustrated embodiment comprises an electronically operated weighing device with a full range of at least 200 grams and preferably a full range of 1 kg.
  • the weighing device 200 has a resolution of 5 ⁇ g or better, and more preferably 1 ⁇ g or better.
  • an operator To operate the processing apparatus 20 , an operator, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, loads cassettes 60 onto the cassette loading station 50 of the apparatus 20 . Processing instructions are input by the operator to a controller (not shown) of the apparatus 20 at a control panel 210 .
  • the cassette handling device 78 transports the cassettes 60 from the loading station 50 and places them in a number of storage compartments 214 provided in the store 86 , which is rotated to present additional compartments 214 to be filled.
  • the cassette handling device 78 removes one of the cassettes 60 from the store 86 and places it on the cassette transfer platform 100 .
  • the cassette handling device 78 could transport a cassette 60 directly from the cassette loading station 50 to the transfer platform 100 .
  • the cassette transfer platform 100 is then rotated to position the door of the cassette 60 against the interface portion 110 of the partition 42 .
  • the substrate handler 130 removes the substrates 70 from the cassette 60 and loads them into a substrate carrier 140 located within reach of the handler 130 .
  • At least one of the substrates 70 from each batch is weighed with the weighing device 200 prior to loading it into the substrate carrier 140 . More preferably, at least three of the substrates 70 from each batch are weighed with the weighing device 200 prior to being loaded into the substrate carrier 140 .
  • the substrates 70 that have been weighed preferably are loaded into the substrate carrier 140 at separate locations. For example, if three of the substrates 70 are weighed, one of the substrates 70 preferably is loaded into the carrier 140 near the top of the carrier 140 , the second near the middle of the carrier 140 , and the third near the bottom of the carrier 140 . The weight of each of the substrates 70 weighed is then recorded by the controller.
  • the closure 152 in the partition 36 is opened.
  • the transfer arm 146 moves the carrier 140 from the handling chamber 38 to the processing chamber 32 and places the carrier 140 onto the carousel 164 and the closure 152 is shut.
  • the carrier is already located within the processing chamber when being loaded.
  • the carousel 164 is then rotated to move the carrier 140 into position beneath one of the furnaces 170 .
  • the lift arm 182 then lifts the carrier 140 into the furnace 170 for processing.
  • the lift arm 182 lowers the carrier 140 back onto the carousel 164 .
  • the processed substrates 70 may then be cooled on the carousel 164 , as necessary, prior to removing the carrier 140 from the processing chamber 32 .
  • the closure 152 in the partition 36 is again opened and the transfer arm 146 moves the carrier 140 back into the handling chamber 38 .
  • the substrates 70 are unloaded from the carrier 140 by the substrate handler 130 and loaded into an empty cassette 60 positioned on the other side of the interface portion 110 of the partition 42 .
  • the substrates 70 that were weighed prior to processing are re-weighed with the weighing device 200 prior to being loaded into the cassette 60 .
  • the controller then compares the weight of each of the substrates 70 after processing to the weight of the same substrate 70 prior to processing to determine the amount of weight lost or gained by the substrate 70 during processing. If the change in weight of each of the substrates 70 weighed (or, if desired, the total change in weight of all of the substrates 70 weighed) falls within a predetermined “acceptable” range that has been pre-programmed into the controller, processing of a new batch of substrates 70 may begin.
  • the weighing device 200 is integrated with the processing apparatus 20 , it can be determined whether the process was unsuccessful based on the weight of the substrates immediately after completion of the process. There is no need to first reload the substrates 70 into cassettes 60 , remove the cassettes 60 from the apparatus 20 , and transport the cassettes 60 to another location for testing, by which time the next batch of substrates 70 would already be undergoing processing. If, after re-weighing the substrates 70 , it is determined that the process was unsuccessful, processing of the next batch of substrates 70 can be immediately suspended until corrective measures have been taken. By measuring the weight change for multiple substrates at different locations within the carrier, the precision of tool diagnostics is improved. Furthermore, since the weighing device 200 is located within the housing 30 of the apparatus 20 , it does not take up valuable additional floor space in the clean room.
  • the process conducted in the processing chamber 32 is the annealing of spin-on polymer materials applied to substrates 70 .
  • Spin-on polymer materials are commonly used to form high quality insulating layers in integrated circuit devices. Such materials often have lower dielectric constants than conventional inorganic dielectric materials, such as silicon dioxide.
  • the spin-on application process also generally results in planarization of the underlying substrate topography, which is desirable in many instances.
  • Spin-on polymers are available from the Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Mich., U.S.A., under the trade name SiLK®.
  • the application of spin-on polymer materials typically involves depositing the material in a solvent solution onto a substrate 70 and spinning the substrate 70 at high speeds to distribute a thin film of the material over the surface of the substrate 70 .
  • the substrate 70 then undergoes a preliminary baking process, typically at a temperature between about 100° C. and 200° C., to evaporate the solvent from the film.
  • the substrate 70 undergoes an annealing process to cure and stabilize the polymer film.
  • the annealing process can advantageously be carried out in the apparatus 20 of the illustrated embodiment.
  • Substrates 70 which have previously undergone the preliminary baking process are loaded into the cassettes 60 which, in turn, are loaded into the loading station 50 of the apparatus 20 .
  • the cassettes 60 are moved through the cassette transfer chamber 46 in the manner described above.
  • the substrate handler 130 removes the substrates 70 from the cassettes 60 and loads them into a substrate carrier 140 .
  • One or more of the substrates 70 are weighed, as described above, prior to loading them into the carrier 140 , and the weight of each of the substrates 70 is recorded by the controller.
  • the loaded carrier 140 is then moved into the processing chamber 32 , rotated into position beneath one of the furnaces 170 , and lifted by one of the lift arms 182 into the overlying vertical furnace 170 to begin the annealing process.
  • the annealing process preferably is carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature between about 100° C. and 600° C., and more preferably between about 150° C. and 350° C.
  • a temperature between about 100° C. and 600° C., and more preferably between about 150° C. and 350° C.
  • cross-linking of the polymer material occurs and a stable, high quality insulating layer is formed.
  • ligands are released from the polymers.
  • the weight of the material, and thus the overall weight of each substrate 70 (including the layer of polymer material) is decreased.
  • some remaining trace amounts of the solvent may be evaporated from the material during the annealing process, thereby further reducing the weight of the substrates 70 .
  • the carrier 140 is lowered out of the furnace 170 and moved back into the handling chamber 38 .
  • the substrates 70 are then unloaded from the carrier 140 by the substrate handler 130 and loaded into empty cassettes 60 positioned on the other side of the interface portion 110 of the partition 42 .
  • the substrates 70 that were weighed prior to processing are re-weighed prior to being loaded into the cassettes 60 .
  • the controller then compares the weight of each of the substrates 70 after processing to the weight of the same substrate 70 prior to processing, as described above, to determine the amount of weight lost by each of the substrates 70 during the annealing process.
  • the amount of weight lost by one or more of the substrates 70 during the annealing process falls outside of the predetermined range, it may be assumed that the annealing process was unsuccessful and that a problem exists. For example, if the amount of weight lost by one or more of the substrates 70 during the annealing process is too low, it may be that there was insufficient cross-linking of the polymer material. If the amount of weight lost by one or more of the substrates 70 during the annealing process is too high, it may be that the polymer has been oxidized due to the presence of undesired amounts oxygen, delamination of the polymer film or other causes.
  • processing of the next batch of substrates 70 is suspended until an operator intervenes. If the change in weight of each of the substrates 70 falls inside the predetermined range, processing of next batch may continue.
  • the processing apparatus 20 can advantageously be used for any process in which the success of the process can be gauged by the resulting change in weight of the substrates 70 .
  • processes include anneal processes and cure processes, such as anneal of PSG and BPSG films up to 900° C., the deposition of films by CVD or other techniques, the removal of films by etching techniques and the thinning of substrates by grinding.

Abstract

An apparatus for processing substrates comprises a substrate handling chamber, including a substrate handling robot for transferring substrates from cassettes into a substrate carrier. A processing chamber is provided adjacent to the handling chamber, including one or more furnaces adapted to process a plurality of the substrates supported in the carrier. A weighing device is accessible to the substrate handler. The weighing device is adapted to weigh the substrates before and after processing the substrates in the processing chamber. The illustrated process is a curing anneal for a low k polymer previously deposited on the substrates.

Description

    FIELD OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to semiconductor processing tools and, more particularly, to semiconductor processing tools which allow the success of a process carried out on a substrate within the tool to be gauged without first removing the substrate from the tool. [0001]
  • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • Semiconductor processing generally involves subjecting substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, to a series of processes to form layered structures on the substrates. During the course of such processing, it is often desirable to test the outcome of one process conducted on a substrate or batch of substrates prior to conducting another process on the same substrate or batch, in order to determine whether the first process was successful. If it was not successful, the substrates may be discarded or salvaged, if possible, prior to subjecting them to additional processes. Similarly, if it is determined that a process carried out on one batch of substrates was unsuccessful, it is usually desirable to identify and correct the problem prior to carrying out the same process on another batch of substrates so as not to risk having to discard additional substrates. [0002]
  • Various methods have been devised for testing whether certain processes have been successful. For example, in CVD processes, substrates have been weighed both prior to and after processing to determine whether, and by what amount, the weight of the substrates was increased as a result of the deposition process. If the deposition process was successful (i.e., a layer of material having a desired thickness was deposited on the substrates), the amount by which the weight of the substrates increased should fall within a predetermined range. If the change in weight of the substrates falls outside of the predetermined range, it can be assumed that the deposition process was unsuccessful. [0003]
  • One problem with such testing methods is that they are often performed outside of the tool in which the process is carried out on the substrates. The substrates must therefore be removed from the tool and transported to the testing device for testing. This typically requires that the substrates first be loaded into cassettes prior to being transported to the testing device. In the meantime, if processing is continued on another batch of substrates while the previous batch is being tested, there is a risk that additional substrates may have to be discarded when the process results on the previous batch are found to be unacceptable. Alternatively, if processing of the next batch of substrates is discontinued pending the results of the testing, the idle time adversely affects throughput. [0004]
  • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • Accordingly, a need exists for a semiconductor processing apparatus having an integrated weighing device that allows the success of a process carried out in the apparatus to be gauged without requiring that the substrates be removed from the apparatus. [0005]
  • In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for processing substrates is provided. The apparatus comprises a substrate handling chamber provided with an interface to receive a cassette. A substrate handler is located within the handling chamber, and is adapted to unload substrates to be processed from the cassette received at the interface and to reload processed substrates into the cassette. A reaction chamber is adjacent to the handling chamber for processing the substrates. A weighing device is accessible to the substrate handler. The weighing device is adapted to weigh the substrates before and after processing the substrates in the processing chamber. [0006]
  • In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for processing substrates in a processing tool that includes a substrate handling chamber, a processing chamber adjacent to the handling chamber and a weighing device. The method comprises loading a cassette into communication with the handling chamber, unloading substrates from the cassette, and loading the substrates into a substrate carrier. At least one of the substrates is weighed with the weighing device prior to loading the at least one substrate into the substrate carrier. The substrates are processed and the substrates are then moved out of the processing chamber. The at least one substrate is weighed with the weighing device after processing, and a change in weight of the at least one substrate resulting from the processing is determined. [0007]
  • In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for processing at least one substrate in a processing apparatus having an integrated weighing device. The method comprises weighing a substrate with the weighing device prior to processing and transferring the weighed substrate into a process chamber. The weighed substrate is annealed in the process chamber. The weighed and annealed substrate is then transferred out of the process chamber and re-weighed the weighing device after annealing, in order to determine an amount of weight lost by the substrate during annealing.[0008]
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • These and other aspects of the invention will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan in view of the description below, the appended claims, and from the drawings, which are intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention, and wherein: [0009]
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus having features and advantages in accordance with the present invention; [0010]
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic top plan view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1; and [0011]
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevational view of the substrate processing apparatus of FIG. 1, with a portion of the housing removed to show the location of the weighing device within the apparatus.[0012]
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
  • One exemplary embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus or [0013] tool 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the apparatus 20 includes a housing 30 installed in a so-called “clean room.” A processing area or chamber 32 is defined at a back end within the housing by a first wall or partition 36, as illustrated in FIG. 2. A substrate handling chamber 38 is defined within the housing 30 between the first partition 36 and a second partition 42. A cassette transfer chamber 46 is defined within the housing 30 between the second partition 42 and a third partition 48. A front end part, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a cassette loading station 50, is provided on the opposite side of the third partition 48 for moving a plurality of cassettes 60 containing substrates 70 into and out of the apparatus 20.
  • Preferably, the [0014] cassettes 60 are standard front-opening unified pods (“FOUPs”), which typically hold 25 substrates 70 and have doors that can be closed to provide sealed environments for the substrates 70 and opened to provide access to the substrates 70. A cassette handling device or robot 78 is provided in the cassette transfer chamber 46 to transport the cassettes 60 from the loading station 50 through a closable opening 82 to a cassette store 86. In the illustrated embodiment, the cassette store 86 comprises a number of vertically aligned rotary platforms 88 on which the cassettes 60 can be supported. The cassette handling device 78 is movable in a vertical direction by means of an elevator 92 so that the various platforms 88 of the cassette store 86 can be accessed by the cassette handling device 78.
  • The [0015] cassette handling device 78 includes a cassette end effector 96 which, in the embodiment shown, has dimensions slightly smaller than the dimensions of a plurality of cut-outs 98 provided in the rotary platforms 88. The cassette handling device 78 is operable to transport the cassettes 60 between the cassette loading station 50 and the store 86. The end effector 96 can be lowered or raised through the cut-outs 98 of the platforms 88 to lower the cassettes 60 onto, or raise the cassettes 60 off of, the platforms 88.
  • In the embodiment shown, a rotatable [0016] cassette transfer platform 100 is provided adjacent the partition 42 between the cassette transfer chamber 46 and the substrate handling chamber 38. The cassette transfer platform 100 of the illustrated embodiment includes two levels 102 (see FIG. 1) which can be rotated independently of one another. The cassette handling device 78 is adapted to transport the cassettes 60 between the store 86 and the cassette transfer platform 100. Alternatively, the cassette handling device 78 can transport the cassettes 60 directly between the cassette loading station 50 and the cassette transfer platform 100, bypassing the store 86. The transfer platform 100 can be rotated so that the doors of the cassettes 60 are positioned against an interface portion 110 of the partition 42. The interface portion 110 of the partition 42 preferably includes closeable openings 120 (see FIG. 3) through which the cassettes 60 can be accessed.
  • As illustrated in FIG. 2, a substrate handler or [0017] robot 130 is provided in the handling chamber 38. The substrate handler 130 is adapted to transfer substrates 70 between the cassettes 60 positioned against the interface portion 110 of the partition 42 and a substrate carrier 140, such as the illustrated vertical wafer boat. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate carrier 140 is situated in the handling chamber 38 adjacent to the substrate handler 130. Such an arrangement is found, for example, in the commerically available Advance 412™ vertical furnace tool, commerically available from ASM International N.V. of Bilthoven, The Netherlands. The substrate carrier 140 preferably holds greater than about 50 substrates, and in the illustrated embodiment holds 100 substrates 70. A transfer arm 146 is provided adjacent to the substrate carrier 140. The transfer arm 146 is adapted to move the substrate carrier 140 between the handling chamber 38 and the processing chamber 32 through a closeable opening 152 provided in the partition 36. In other arrangements, the substrate handler 130 can load substrates into carriers 140 that are situated in the processing chamber 32. For example, in the Advance 400™ vertical funace tool from ASM International N.V. of Bilthoven, The Netherlands, the substrate carrier is positioned within the process chamber, and the handler loads the wafers onto the carrier through a door between the process chamber and the handling chamber.
  • A horizontal boat transfer mechanism, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises a turntable or [0018] carousel 164, is provided in the processing chamber 32. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a pair of reaction chambers or vertical furnaces 170 are provided above the carousel 164. The carousel 164 can be rotated to position substrate carriers 140 supported on the carousel 164 below the furnaces 170. A lift arm 182 is provided below each of the furnaces 170 to raise and lower the substrate carriers 140 into and out of the furnaces 170. Cut-outs 186 are provided in the carousel 164 for passage of the lift arm 182 as the substrate carriers 140 are lifted off of and lowered back onto the carousel 164.
  • The [0019] processing apparatus 20 also includes an integrated weighing device 200. Preferably, the weighing device 200 is accessible to the substrate handler 130. More preferably, the weighing device 200 is located adjacent to the substrate handling chamber 38. In the embodiment shown, the weighing device 200 is provided above the cassette transfer platform 100. The weighing device 200 abuts the partition 42 between the transfer chamber 46 and the handling chamber 38, and can be accessed from the handling chamber 38 through an opening 204 (see FIG. 3) in the partition 42, which is preferably provided with a door. The substrate handler 130 can thus easily access the weighing device 200 to insert and remove substrates 70 from the device 200. Although the weighing device 200 is located in the transfer cassette chamber 46 in the embodiment shown, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the optimum location for the weighing device 200 will depend on the particular design of the processing apparatus in which it is employed. The weighing device 200 may be of any suitable type, but in the illustrated embodiment comprises an electronically operated weighing device with a full range of at least 200 grams and preferably a full range of 1 kg. Preferably, the weighing device 200 has a resolution of 5 μg or better, and more preferably 1 μg or better.
  • To operate the [0020] processing apparatus 20, an operator, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, loads cassettes 60 onto the cassette loading station 50 of the apparatus 20. Processing instructions are input by the operator to a controller (not shown) of the apparatus 20 at a control panel 210. The cassette handling device 78 transports the cassettes 60 from the loading station 50 and places them in a number of storage compartments 214 provided in the store 86, which is rotated to present additional compartments 214 to be filled.
  • With reference again to FIG. 2, the [0021] cassette handling device 78 removes one of the cassettes 60 from the store 86 and places it on the cassette transfer platform 100. Alternatively, the cassette handling device 78 could transport a cassette 60 directly from the cassette loading station 50 to the transfer platform 100. The cassette transfer platform 100 is then rotated to position the door of the cassette 60 against the interface portion 110 of the partition 42. The substrate handler 130 removes the substrates 70 from the cassette 60 and loads them into a substrate carrier 140 located within reach of the handler 130.
  • Preferably, at least one of the [0022] substrates 70 from each batch (e.g., 100 substrates 70 in the illustrated embodiment) is weighed with the weighing device 200 prior to loading it into the substrate carrier 140. More preferably, at least three of the substrates 70 from each batch are weighed with the weighing device 200 prior to being loaded into the substrate carrier 140. The substrates 70 that have been weighed preferably are loaded into the substrate carrier 140 at separate locations. For example, if three of the substrates 70 are weighed, one of the substrates 70 preferably is loaded into the carrier 140 near the top of the carrier 140, the second near the middle of the carrier 140, and the third near the bottom of the carrier 140. The weight of each of the substrates 70 weighed is then recorded by the controller.
  • After the [0023] substrate carrier 140 has been loaded, in the illustrated embodiment the closure 152 in the partition 36 is opened. The transfer arm 146 moves the carrier 140 from the handling chamber 38 to the processing chamber 32 and places the carrier 140 onto the carousel 164 and the closure 152 is shut. In other arrangements, the carrier is already located within the processing chamber when being loaded. The carousel 164 is then rotated to move the carrier 140 into position beneath one of the furnaces 170. The lift arm 182 then lifts the carrier 140 into the furnace 170 for processing.
  • After processing, the [0024] lift arm 182 lowers the carrier 140 back onto the carousel 164. The processed substrates 70 may then be cooled on the carousel 164, as necessary, prior to removing the carrier 140 from the processing chamber 32. When the substrates 70 are sufficiently cool, the closure 152 in the partition 36 is again opened and the transfer arm 146 moves the carrier 140 back into the handling chamber 38.
  • The [0025] substrates 70 are unloaded from the carrier 140 by the substrate handler 130 and loaded into an empty cassette 60 positioned on the other side of the interface portion 110 of the partition 42. The substrates 70 that were weighed prior to processing are re-weighed with the weighing device 200 prior to being loaded into the cassette 60. The controller then compares the weight of each of the substrates 70 after processing to the weight of the same substrate 70 prior to processing to determine the amount of weight lost or gained by the substrate 70 during processing. If the change in weight of each of the substrates 70 weighed (or, if desired, the total change in weight of all of the substrates 70 weighed) falls within a predetermined “acceptable” range that has been pre-programmed into the controller, processing of a new batch of substrates 70 may begin. If the change in weight falls outside the acceptable range (i.e., the amount of weight gained or lost by one or more of the substrates 70 weighed, or the total amount of weight gained by all of the substrates 70 weighed, is either too great or too small), processing of the next batch of substrates 70 is suspended until the operator intervenes.
  • Because the weighing [0026] device 200 is integrated with the processing apparatus 20, it can be determined whether the process was unsuccessful based on the weight of the substrates immediately after completion of the process. There is no need to first reload the substrates 70 into cassettes 60, remove the cassettes 60 from the apparatus 20, and transport the cassettes 60 to another location for testing, by which time the next batch of substrates 70 would already be undergoing processing. If, after re-weighing the substrates 70, it is determined that the process was unsuccessful, processing of the next batch of substrates 70 can be immediately suspended until corrective measures have been taken. By measuring the weight change for multiple substrates at different locations within the carrier, the precision of tool diagnostics is improved. Furthermore, since the weighing device 200 is located within the housing 30 of the apparatus 20, it does not take up valuable additional floor space in the clean room.
  • In the illustrated [0027] processing apparatus 20, the process conducted in the processing chamber 32 is the annealing of spin-on polymer materials applied to substrates 70. Spin-on polymer materials are commonly used to form high quality insulating layers in integrated circuit devices. Such materials often have lower dielectric constants than conventional inorganic dielectric materials, such as silicon dioxide. The spin-on application process also generally results in planarization of the underlying substrate topography, which is desirable in many instances. Spin-on polymers are available from the Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Mich., U.S.A., under the trade name SiLK®. U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,125, issued Jan. 12, 1988 to Anello et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,062, issued Mar. 26, 1991 to Yen, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,679, issued Oct. 12, 1999 to Godschalx et al., provide background information relating to spin-on polymer processes, and are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
  • The application of spin-on polymer materials typically involves depositing the material in a solvent solution onto a [0028] substrate 70 and spinning the substrate 70 at high speeds to distribute a thin film of the material over the surface of the substrate 70. The substrate 70 then undergoes a preliminary baking process, typically at a temperature between about 100° C. and 200° C., to evaporate the solvent from the film.
  • After the solvent has been evaporated from the film, the [0029] substrate 70 undergoes an annealing process to cure and stabilize the polymer film. The annealing process can advantageously be carried out in the apparatus 20 of the illustrated embodiment. Substrates 70 which have previously undergone the preliminary baking process are loaded into the cassettes 60 which, in turn, are loaded into the loading station 50 of the apparatus 20. The cassettes 60 are moved through the cassette transfer chamber 46 in the manner described above. The substrate handler 130 removes the substrates 70 from the cassettes 60 and loads them into a substrate carrier 140. One or more of the substrates 70 are weighed, as described above, prior to loading them into the carrier 140, and the weight of each of the substrates 70 is recorded by the controller. In the illustrated embodiment, the loaded carrier 140 is then moved into the processing chamber 32, rotated into position beneath one of the furnaces 170, and lifted by one of the lift arms 182 into the overlying vertical furnace 170 to begin the annealing process.
  • The annealing process preferably is carried out in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature between about 100° C. and 600° C., and more preferably between about 150° C. and 350° C. During the annealing process, cross-linking of the polymer material occurs and a stable, high quality insulating layer is formed. As the polymer material is cross-linked, ligands are released from the polymers. As a result, the weight of the material, and thus the overall weight of each substrate [0030] 70 (including the layer of polymer material) is decreased. In addition, some remaining trace amounts of the solvent may be evaporated from the material during the annealing process, thereby further reducing the weight of the substrates 70.
  • After the annealing process is completed, the [0031] carrier 140 is lowered out of the furnace 170 and moved back into the handling chamber 38. The substrates 70 are then unloaded from the carrier 140 by the substrate handler 130 and loaded into empty cassettes 60 positioned on the other side of the interface portion 110 of the partition 42. The substrates 70 that were weighed prior to processing are re-weighed prior to being loaded into the cassettes 60. The controller then compares the weight of each of the substrates 70 after processing to the weight of the same substrate 70 prior to processing, as described above, to determine the amount of weight lost by each of the substrates 70 during the annealing process.
  • It is possible to determine a range within which the amount of weight lost by each of the [0032] substrates 70 should fall if the annealing process is successful. For example, during a successful curing anneal of a spin-on polymer material, typically between about 0.5% and 5% of its weight is lost. The applied film thickness for such a spin-on polymer material is in the range of 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm whereas the density is about 1.0 g/cm3. For a standard 300 mm wafer, having a surface area of 707 cm2, this results in a minimum weight change of 35 μgram and a maximum weight change of 3500 μgram. Note that the weight of one monolayer of water atoms on a 300 mm wafer, assuming a film thickness of 0.3 nm, is 707*0.3*10−7=21 μg. Furthermore, for comparison the weight of a 300 mm wafer having a thickness of 875 μm and a density of 2.2 g/cm3 is 136 grams. For a 200 mm wafer these numbers are scaled down in ratio to the surface area of the wafer and its thickness.
  • If the amount of weight lost by one or more of the [0033] substrates 70 during the annealing process falls outside of the predetermined range, it may be assumed that the annealing process was unsuccessful and that a problem exists. For example, if the amount of weight lost by one or more of the substrates 70 during the annealing process is too low, it may be that there was insufficient cross-linking of the polymer material. If the amount of weight lost by one or more of the substrates 70 during the annealing process is too high, it may be that the polymer has been oxidized due to the presence of undesired amounts oxygen, delamination of the polymer film or other causes. In either case, if the change in weight of each of the substrates 70 falls outside of the predetermined range, processing of the next batch of substrates 70 is suspended until an operator intervenes. If the change in weight of each of the substrates 70 falls inside the predetermined range, processing of next batch may continue.
  • While the operation of the [0034] processing apparatus 20 has been described in the context of a spin-on polymer annealing process, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the apparatus 20 can also be used in other types of processes. In general, the processing apparatus 20 can advantageously be used for any process in which the success of the process can be gauged by the resulting change in weight of the substrates 70. Examples of such processes include anneal processes and cure processes, such as anneal of PSG and BPSG films up to 900° C., the deposition of films by CVD or other techniques, the removal of films by etching techniques and the thinning of substrates by grinding.
  • Accordingly, although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. It is further contemplated that various combinations and sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow. [0035]
  • It should be noted that certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described above for the purpose of describing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. [0036]

Claims (33)

I claim:
1. An apparatus for processing substrates, comprising:
a substrate handling chamber provided with an interface to receive a cassette;
a substrate handler located within the handling chamber, the substrate handler adapted to unload substrates to be processed from the cassette received at the interface and to reload processed substrates into the cassette;
a reaction chamber adjacent to the handling chamber for processing the substrates; and
a weighing device accessible to the substrate handler, the weighing device being adapted to weigh the substrates before and after processing the substrates in the processing chamber.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two reaction chambers are arranged within an upper region of a processing chamber adjacent the substrate handling chamber.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a horizontal carrier transfer mechanism located in a lower region of the processing chamber, beneath the reaction chambers, the horizontal transfer mechanism being movable to position the substrate carrier beneath the reaction chambers.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a batch substrate carrier for processing the substrates in the reaction chamber, the batch substrate carrier accessible to the substrate handler.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the substrate carrier is moveable between the substrate handling chamber and the reaction chamber.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cassette transfer chamber adjacent the substrate handling chamber, the transfer chamber enclosing the interface.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the weighing device is located in the cassette transfer chamber.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a cassette storage unit located within the transfer chamber, the storage unit comprising one or more platforms for supporting cassettes.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a partition between the transfer chamber and the handling chamber, and a cassette transfer platform located adjacent the partition.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cassette handler is adapted to move a cassette from the storage unit to the cassette transfer platform, and the cassette transfer platform is adapted to rotate the cassette so that a door of the cassette is positioned against a first opening in the partition.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the weighing device is located in the transfer chamber above the cassette transfer platform, the weighing device being accessible from the handling chamber through a second opening in the partition.
12. A method of processing substrates in a processing tool comprising a substrate handling chamber, a processing chamber adjacent to the handling chamber and a weighing device, the method comprising:
loading a cassette into communication with the handling chamber;
unloading substrates from the cassette;
loading the substrates into a substrate carrier;
weighing at least one of the substrates with the weighing device prior to loading the at least one substrate into the substrate carrier;
moving the substrates into the processing chamber;
processing the substrates on the substrate carrier within the processing chamber;
moving the substrates out of the processing chamber after processing;
re-weighing the at least one substrate with the weighing device after processing; and
determining a change in weight of the at least one substrate resulting from the processing.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining whether the change in weight of the at least one substrate falls within a predetermined acceptable range.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising processing additional substrates in the processing chamber if the change in weight of the at least one substrate falls within the acceptable range, and discontinuing processing in the processing chamber if the change in weight of the at least one substrate does not fall within the acceptable range.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein at least three of the substrates are weighed prior to loading the at least three substrates into the substrate carrier and re-weighed after processing.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein one of the at least three substrates is loaded into the substrate carrier near a top of the carrier, another is loaded into the carrier near a middle of the carrier, and another is loaded into the carrier near a bottom of the carrier.
17 The method of claim 12, wherein the change in weight of the at least one substrate is a reduction in weight.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing comprises curing a low k polymer material applied to the substrates.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein each wafer loses between about 35 μg and 3500 μg when the processing is operating correctly.
20. The method of claim 12, wherein moving the substrate into the processing chamber comprises moving the substrate carrier into a vertical furnace located within the processing chamber.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein moving the substrates into the processing chamber further comprises moving the substrate carrier from the substrate handling chamber into the processing chamber prior to moving the substrate carrier into the vertical furnace.
22. A method of processing at least one substrate in a processing apparatus having an integrated weighing device, the method comprising:
weighing a substrate with the weighing device prior to processing;
transferring the weighed substrate into a process chamber;
annealing the weighed substrate in the process chamber;
transferring the weighed and annealed substrate out of the process chamber; and
re-weighing the substrate with the weighing device after the annealing to determine an amount of weight lost by the substrate during the annealing.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining whether to run a subsequent substrate based upon the amount of weight lost by the substrate during annealing.
24. The method of claim 22, further comprising applying a polymer material to the substrate prior to weighing the substrate.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising performing a preliminary baking process on the substrate after applying the polymer material and prior to weighing the substrate, the preliminary baking process driving off a solvent material present in the polymer material.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the annealing comprises cross-linking the polymer material.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the annealing further comprises driving off residual amounts of the solvent material.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the annealing the weighed substrate is performed at a temperature between about 100° C. and 900° C.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein the annealing the weighed substrate is performed at a temperature between about 150° C. and 350° C.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein the annealing the weighed substrate is performed in a nitrogen atmosphere.
31. The method of claim 22, further comprising loading the substrate into a batch substrate carrier prior after weighing and prior to the annealing.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein loading the substrate into the batch substrate carrier is performed prior to transferring the substrate into the process chamber.
33. The method of claim 22, wherein annealing comprises losing between about 35 μg and 3500 μg when annealing is operating correctly
US10/233,895 2002-08-29 2002-08-29 Method of processing substrates with integrated weighing steps Expired - Lifetime US6902647B2 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/233,895 US6902647B2 (en) 2002-08-29 2002-08-29 Method of processing substrates with integrated weighing steps

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/233,895 US6902647B2 (en) 2002-08-29 2002-08-29 Method of processing substrates with integrated weighing steps

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20040040659A1 true US20040040659A1 (en) 2004-03-04
US6902647B2 US6902647B2 (en) 2005-06-07

Family

ID=31977319

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/233,895 Expired - Lifetime US6902647B2 (en) 2002-08-29 2002-08-29 Method of processing substrates with integrated weighing steps

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US6902647B2 (en)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040225399A1 (en) * 2003-04-28 2004-11-11 Kuo-Lang Chen Wafer assessment apparatus for a single wafer machine and method thereof
US20050187647A1 (en) * 2004-02-19 2005-08-25 Kuo-Hua Wang Intelligent full automation controlled flow for a semiconductor furnace tool
WO2006078631A2 (en) * 2005-01-18 2006-07-27 Suss Micro Tec Inc. High-throughput bond tool
WO2009112821A1 (en) * 2008-03-11 2009-09-17 Metryx Limited Semiconductor wafer monitoring apparatus and method
EP2533276A1 (en) * 2011-06-07 2012-12-12 Imec Method for detecting embedded voids in a semiconductor substrate
US20130209706A1 (en) * 2010-04-21 2013-08-15 Ald Vacuum Technologies Gmbh Apparatus and method for coating substrates using the eb/pvd process
CN107437520A (en) * 2016-05-27 2017-12-05 细美事有限公司 Apparatus and method for handling substrate
CN107437513A (en) * 2016-05-27 2017-12-05 细美事有限公司 Delivery unit and the apparatus and method for handling substrate

Families Citing this family (168)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8052834B2 (en) * 2003-01-09 2011-11-08 Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. Substrate treating system, substrate treating device, program, and recording medium
WO2005091346A1 (en) * 2004-03-22 2005-09-29 Mimasu Semiconductor Industry Co. Ltd. Schedule control method in spin etching and spin etching system
US20060154385A1 (en) * 2005-01-07 2006-07-13 Ravinder Aggarwal Fabrication pathway integrated metrology device
JP2007242648A (en) * 2006-03-04 2007-09-20 Masato Toshima Substrate processing apparatus
US7740437B2 (en) * 2006-09-22 2010-06-22 Asm International N.V. Processing system with increased cassette storage capacity
US7585142B2 (en) 2007-03-16 2009-09-08 Asm America, Inc. Substrate handling chamber with movable substrate carrier loading platform
US7832353B2 (en) * 2008-08-25 2010-11-16 Asm Japan K.K. Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with wafer inspection device and inspection techniques
TWI436831B (en) 2009-12-10 2014-05-11 Orbotech Lt Solar Llc A showerhead assembly for vacuum processing apparatus
US8851816B2 (en) 2011-04-07 2014-10-07 Microtronic, Inc. Apparatus, system, and methods for weighing and positioning wafers
US8459276B2 (en) 2011-05-24 2013-06-11 Orbotech LT Solar, LLC. Broken wafer recovery system
US20130023129A1 (en) 2011-07-20 2013-01-24 Asm America, Inc. Pressure transmitter for a semiconductor processing environment
GB201405926D0 (en) * 2014-04-02 2014-05-14 Metryx Ltd Semiconductor wafer weighing apparatus and methods
US9478408B2 (en) 2014-06-06 2016-10-25 Lam Research Corporation Systems and methods for removing particles from a substrate processing chamber using RF plasma cycling and purging
US10047438B2 (en) 2014-06-10 2018-08-14 Lam Research Corporation Defect control and stability of DC bias in RF plasma-based substrate processing systems using molecular reactive purge gas
US10081869B2 (en) 2014-06-10 2018-09-25 Lam Research Corporation Defect control in RF plasma substrate processing systems using DC bias voltage during movement of substrates
US10941490B2 (en) 2014-10-07 2021-03-09 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Multiple temperature range susceptor, assembly, reactor and system including the susceptor, and methods of using the same
US10276355B2 (en) 2015-03-12 2019-04-30 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Multi-zone reactor, system including the reactor, and method of using the same
US10529554B2 (en) 2016-02-19 2020-01-07 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for forming silicon nitride film selectively on sidewalls or flat surfaces of trenches
US11453943B2 (en) 2016-05-25 2022-09-27 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for forming carbon-containing silicon/metal oxide or nitride film by ALD using silicon precursor and hydrocarbon precursor
US10612137B2 (en) 2016-07-08 2020-04-07 Asm Ip Holdings B.V. Organic reactants for atomic layer deposition
US9859151B1 (en) 2016-07-08 2018-01-02 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Selective film deposition method to form air gaps
US9887082B1 (en) 2016-07-28 2018-02-06 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method and apparatus for filling a gap
US9812320B1 (en) 2016-07-28 2017-11-07 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method and apparatus for filling a gap
US11532757B2 (en) 2016-10-27 2022-12-20 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Deposition of charge trapping layers
US10714350B2 (en) 2016-11-01 2020-07-14 ASM IP Holdings, B.V. Methods for forming a transition metal niobium nitride film on a substrate by atomic layer deposition and related semiconductor device structures
KR102546317B1 (en) 2016-11-15 2023-06-21 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Gas supply unit and substrate processing apparatus including the same
US11447861B2 (en) 2016-12-15 2022-09-20 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Sequential infiltration synthesis apparatus and a method of forming a patterned structure
US11581186B2 (en) 2016-12-15 2023-02-14 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Sequential infiltration synthesis apparatus
US11390950B2 (en) 2017-01-10 2022-07-19 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Reactor system and method to reduce residue buildup during a film deposition process
US10468261B2 (en) 2017-02-15 2019-11-05 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for forming a metallic film on a substrate by cyclical deposition and related semiconductor device structures
US10770286B2 (en) 2017-05-08 2020-09-08 Asm Ip Holdings B.V. Methods for selectively forming a silicon nitride film on a substrate and related semiconductor device structures
US11306395B2 (en) 2017-06-28 2022-04-19 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for depositing a transition metal nitride film on a substrate by atomic layer deposition and related deposition apparatus
KR20190009245A (en) 2017-07-18 2019-01-28 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Methods for forming a semiconductor device structure and related semiconductor device structures
US10590535B2 (en) 2017-07-26 2020-03-17 Asm Ip Holdings B.V. Chemical treatment, deposition and/or infiltration apparatus and method for using the same
US10770336B2 (en) 2017-08-08 2020-09-08 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Substrate lift mechanism and reactor including same
US10692741B2 (en) 2017-08-08 2020-06-23 Asm Ip Holdings B.V. Radiation shield
US11769682B2 (en) 2017-08-09 2023-09-26 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Storage apparatus for storing cassettes for substrates and processing apparatus equipped therewith
US11830730B2 (en) 2017-08-29 2023-11-28 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Layer forming method and apparatus
US11295980B2 (en) 2017-08-30 2022-04-05 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for depositing a molybdenum metal film over a dielectric surface of a substrate by a cyclical deposition process and related semiconductor device structures
US10658205B2 (en) 2017-09-28 2020-05-19 Asm Ip Holdings B.V. Chemical dispensing apparatus and methods for dispensing a chemical to a reaction chamber
CN111344522B (en) 2017-11-27 2022-04-12 阿斯莫Ip控股公司 Including clean mini-environment device
CN111316417B (en) 2017-11-27 2023-12-22 阿斯莫Ip控股公司 Storage device for storing wafer cassettes for use with batch ovens
US10872771B2 (en) 2018-01-16 2020-12-22 Asm Ip Holding B. V. Method for depositing a material film on a substrate within a reaction chamber by a cyclical deposition process and related device structures
TWI799494B (en) 2018-01-19 2023-04-21 荷蘭商Asm 智慧財產控股公司 Deposition method
WO2019142055A2 (en) 2018-01-19 2019-07-25 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for depositing a gap-fill layer by plasma-assisted deposition
US11081345B2 (en) 2018-02-06 2021-08-03 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method of post-deposition treatment for silicon oxide film
US10896820B2 (en) 2018-02-14 2021-01-19 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for depositing a ruthenium-containing film on a substrate by a cyclical deposition process
EP3737779A1 (en) 2018-02-14 2020-11-18 ASM IP Holding B.V. A method for depositing a ruthenium-containing film on a substrate by a cyclical deposition process
KR102636427B1 (en) 2018-02-20 2024-02-13 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate processing method and apparatus
US11473195B2 (en) 2018-03-01 2022-10-18 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Semiconductor processing apparatus and a method for processing a substrate
US10847371B2 (en) 2018-03-27 2020-11-24 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method of forming an electrode on a substrate and a semiconductor device structure including an electrode
KR102596988B1 (en) 2018-05-28 2023-10-31 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of processing a substrate and a device manufactured by the same
US11718913B2 (en) 2018-06-04 2023-08-08 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Gas distribution system and reactor system including same
KR102568797B1 (en) 2018-06-21 2023-08-21 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate processing system
US10797133B2 (en) 2018-06-21 2020-10-06 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for depositing a phosphorus doped silicon arsenide film and related semiconductor device structures
CN112292477A (en) 2018-06-27 2021-01-29 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Cyclic deposition methods for forming metal-containing materials and films and structures containing metal-containing materials
JP2021529254A (en) 2018-06-27 2021-10-28 エーエスエム・アイピー・ホールディング・ベー・フェー Periodic deposition methods for forming metal-containing materials and films and structures containing metal-containing materials
US10388513B1 (en) 2018-07-03 2019-08-20 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for depositing silicon-free carbon-containing film as gap-fill layer by pulse plasma-assisted deposition
US10755922B2 (en) 2018-07-03 2020-08-25 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for depositing silicon-free carbon-containing film as gap-fill layer by pulse plasma-assisted deposition
US11430674B2 (en) 2018-08-22 2022-08-30 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Sensor array, apparatus for dispensing a vapor phase reactant to a reaction chamber and related methods
US11024523B2 (en) 2018-09-11 2021-06-01 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Substrate processing apparatus and method
KR20200030162A (en) 2018-09-11 2020-03-20 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method for deposition of a thin film
CN110970344A (en) 2018-10-01 2020-04-07 Asm Ip控股有限公司 Substrate holding apparatus, system including the same, and method of using the same
KR102592699B1 (en) 2018-10-08 2023-10-23 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate support unit and apparatuses for depositing thin film and processing the substrate including the same
KR102546322B1 (en) 2018-10-19 2023-06-21 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
US11087997B2 (en) 2018-10-31 2021-08-10 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Substrate processing apparatus for processing substrates
KR20200051105A (en) 2018-11-02 2020-05-13 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate support unit and substrate processing apparatus including the same
US11572620B2 (en) 2018-11-06 2023-02-07 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for selectively depositing an amorphous silicon film on a substrate
US10818758B2 (en) 2018-11-16 2020-10-27 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for forming a metal silicate film on a substrate in a reaction chamber and related semiconductor device structures
KR102636428B1 (en) 2018-12-04 2024-02-13 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. A method for cleaning a substrate processing apparatus
US11158513B2 (en) 2018-12-13 2021-10-26 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for forming a rhenium-containing film on a substrate by a cyclical deposition process and related semiconductor device structures
TW202037745A (en) 2018-12-14 2020-10-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method of forming device structure, structure formed by the method and system for performing the method
TWI819180B (en) 2019-01-17 2023-10-21 荷蘭商Asm 智慧財產控股公司 Methods of forming a transition metal containing film on a substrate by a cyclical deposition process
US11482533B2 (en) 2019-02-20 2022-10-25 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Apparatus and methods for plug fill deposition in 3-D NAND applications
TW202044325A (en) 2019-02-20 2020-12-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method of filling a recess formed within a surface of a substrate, semiconductor structure formed according to the method, and semiconductor processing apparatus
TW202104632A (en) 2019-02-20 2021-02-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Cyclical deposition method and apparatus for filling a recess formed within a substrate surface
TW202100794A (en) 2019-02-22 2021-01-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing apparatus and method for processing substrate
KR20200108248A (en) 2019-03-08 2020-09-17 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. STRUCTURE INCLUDING SiOCN LAYER AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME
KR20200108242A (en) 2019-03-08 2020-09-17 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method for Selective Deposition of Silicon Nitride Layer and Structure Including Selectively-Deposited Silicon Nitride Layer
KR20200116033A (en) 2019-03-28 2020-10-08 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Door opener and substrate processing apparatus provided therewith
KR20200116855A (en) 2019-04-01 2020-10-13 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
KR102096954B1 (en) * 2019-04-05 2020-04-03 세메스 주식회사 A apparatus for treating substrate, and the apparatus set up method
KR20200123380A (en) 2019-04-19 2020-10-29 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Layer forming method and apparatus
KR20200125453A (en) 2019-04-24 2020-11-04 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Gas-phase reactor system and method of using same
KR20200130121A (en) 2019-05-07 2020-11-18 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Chemical source vessel with dip tube
KR20200130652A (en) 2019-05-10 2020-11-19 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of depositing material onto a surface and structure formed according to the method
JP2020188255A (en) 2019-05-16 2020-11-19 エーエスエム アイピー ホールディング ビー.ブイ. Wafer boat handling device, vertical batch furnace, and method
USD975665S1 (en) 2019-05-17 2023-01-17 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Susceptor shaft
USD947913S1 (en) 2019-05-17 2022-04-05 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Susceptor shaft
KR20200141002A (en) 2019-06-06 2020-12-17 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of using a gas-phase reactor system including analyzing exhausted gas
KR20200143254A (en) 2019-06-11 2020-12-23 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of forming an electronic structure using an reforming gas, system for performing the method, and structure formed using the method
KR20210005515A (en) 2019-07-03 2021-01-14 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Temperature control assembly for substrate processing apparatus and method of using same
JP2021015791A (en) 2019-07-09 2021-02-12 エーエスエム アイピー ホールディング ビー.ブイ. Plasma device and substrate processing method using coaxial waveguide
CN112216646A (en) 2019-07-10 2021-01-12 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate supporting assembly and substrate processing device comprising same
KR20210010307A (en) 2019-07-16 2021-01-27 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate processing apparatus
KR20210010816A (en) 2019-07-17 2021-01-28 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Radical assist ignition plasma system and method
KR20210010820A (en) 2019-07-17 2021-01-28 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Methods of forming silicon germanium structures
US11643724B2 (en) 2019-07-18 2023-05-09 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method of forming structures using a neutral beam
CN112309843A (en) 2019-07-29 2021-02-02 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Selective deposition method for achieving high dopant doping
CN112309899A (en) 2019-07-30 2021-02-02 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing apparatus
CN112309900A (en) 2019-07-30 2021-02-02 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing apparatus
US11227782B2 (en) 2019-07-31 2022-01-18 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Vertical batch furnace assembly
US11587814B2 (en) 2019-07-31 2023-02-21 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Vertical batch furnace assembly
US11587815B2 (en) * 2019-07-31 2023-02-21 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Vertical batch furnace assembly
CN112323048B (en) 2019-08-05 2024-02-09 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Liquid level sensor for chemical source container
KR20210021266A (en) * 2019-08-14 2021-02-25 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Apparatus and method to process wafers
USD965524S1 (en) 2019-08-19 2022-10-04 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Susceptor support
USD965044S1 (en) 2019-08-19 2022-09-27 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Susceptor shaft
JP2021031769A (en) 2019-08-21 2021-03-01 エーエスエム アイピー ホールディング ビー.ブイ. Production apparatus of mixed gas of film deposition raw material and film deposition apparatus
KR20210024423A (en) 2019-08-22 2021-03-05 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method for forming a structure with a hole
USD979506S1 (en) 2019-08-22 2023-02-28 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Insulator
US11286558B2 (en) 2019-08-23 2022-03-29 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for depositing a molybdenum nitride film on a surface of a substrate by a cyclical deposition process and related semiconductor device structures including a molybdenum nitride film
KR20210029090A (en) 2019-09-04 2021-03-15 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Methods for selective deposition using a sacrificial capping layer
KR20210029663A (en) 2019-09-05 2021-03-16 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate processing apparatus
US11562901B2 (en) 2019-09-25 2023-01-24 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Substrate processing method
CN112593212B (en) 2019-10-02 2023-12-22 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method for forming topologically selective silicon oxide film by cyclic plasma enhanced deposition process
TW202129060A (en) 2019-10-08 2021-08-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip控股公司 Substrate processing device, and substrate processing method
KR20210043460A (en) 2019-10-10 2021-04-21 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of forming a photoresist underlayer and structure including same
KR20210045930A (en) 2019-10-16 2021-04-27 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of Topology-Selective Film Formation of Silicon Oxide
US11637014B2 (en) 2019-10-17 2023-04-25 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for selective deposition of doped semiconductor material
KR20210047808A (en) 2019-10-21 2021-04-30 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Apparatus and methods for selectively etching films
US11646205B2 (en) 2019-10-29 2023-05-09 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods of selectively forming n-type doped material on a surface, systems for selectively forming n-type doped material, and structures formed using same
KR20210054983A (en) 2019-11-05 2021-05-14 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Structures with doped semiconductor layers and methods and systems for forming same
US11501968B2 (en) 2019-11-15 2022-11-15 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for providing a semiconductor device with silicon filled gaps
KR20210062561A (en) 2019-11-20 2021-05-31 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of depositing carbon-containing material on a surface of a substrate, structure formed using the method, and system for forming the structure
US11450529B2 (en) 2019-11-26 2022-09-20 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for selectively forming a target film on a substrate comprising a first dielectric surface and a second metallic surface
CN112951697A (en) 2019-11-26 2021-06-11 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing apparatus
CN112885693A (en) 2019-11-29 2021-06-01 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing apparatus
CN112885692A (en) 2019-11-29 2021-06-01 Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing apparatus
JP2021090042A (en) 2019-12-02 2021-06-10 エーエスエム アイピー ホールディング ビー.ブイ. Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
KR20210070898A (en) 2019-12-04 2021-06-15 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate processing apparatus
JP2021097227A (en) 2019-12-17 2021-06-24 エーエスエム・アイピー・ホールディング・ベー・フェー Method of forming vanadium nitride layer and structure including vanadium nitride layer
KR20210080214A (en) 2019-12-19 2021-06-30 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Methods for filling a gap feature on a substrate and related semiconductor structures
KR20210095050A (en) 2020-01-20 2021-07-30 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of forming thin film and method of modifying surface of thin film
TW202130846A (en) 2020-02-03 2021-08-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method of forming structures including a vanadium or indium layer
TW202146882A (en) 2020-02-04 2021-12-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method of verifying an article, apparatus for verifying an article, and system for verifying a reaction chamber
US11776846B2 (en) 2020-02-07 2023-10-03 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Methods for depositing gap filling fluids and related systems and devices
US11781243B2 (en) 2020-02-17 2023-10-10 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for depositing low temperature phosphorous-doped silicon
US11876356B2 (en) 2020-03-11 2024-01-16 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Lockout tagout assembly and system and method of using same
KR20210116240A (en) 2020-03-11 2021-09-27 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Substrate handling device with adjustable joints
KR20210124042A (en) 2020-04-02 2021-10-14 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Thin film forming method
TW202146689A (en) 2020-04-03 2021-12-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip控股公司 Method for forming barrier layer and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
TW202145344A (en) 2020-04-08 2021-12-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Apparatus and methods for selectively etching silcon oxide films
US11821078B2 (en) 2020-04-15 2023-11-21 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Method for forming precoat film and method for forming silicon-containing film
KR20210132600A (en) 2020-04-24 2021-11-04 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Methods and systems for depositing a layer comprising vanadium, nitrogen, and a further element
JP2021172884A (en) 2020-04-24 2021-11-01 エーエスエム・アイピー・ホールディング・ベー・フェー Method of forming vanadium nitride-containing layer and structure comprising vanadium nitride-containing layer
TW202146831A (en) 2020-04-24 2021-12-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Vertical batch furnace assembly, and method for cooling vertical batch furnace
KR20210134869A (en) 2020-05-01 2021-11-11 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Fast FOUP swapping with a FOUP handler
KR20210141379A (en) 2020-05-13 2021-11-23 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Laser alignment fixture for a reactor system
TW202147383A (en) 2020-05-19 2021-12-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing apparatus
KR20210145078A (en) 2020-05-21 2021-12-01 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Structures including multiple carbon layers and methods of forming and using same
TW202201602A (en) 2020-05-29 2022-01-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing device
TW202218133A (en) 2020-06-24 2022-05-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method for forming a layer provided with silicon
TW202217953A (en) 2020-06-30 2022-05-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Substrate processing method
TW202219628A (en) 2020-07-17 2022-05-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Structures and methods for use in photolithography
TW202204662A (en) 2020-07-20 2022-02-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method and system for depositing molybdenum layers
TW202212623A (en) 2020-08-26 2022-04-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method of forming metal silicon oxide layer and metal silicon oxynitride layer, semiconductor structure, and system
USD990534S1 (en) 2020-09-11 2023-06-27 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Weighted lift pin
USD1012873S1 (en) 2020-09-24 2024-01-30 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Electrode for semiconductor processing apparatus
TW202229613A (en) 2020-10-14 2022-08-01 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method of depositing material on stepped structure
KR20220053482A (en) 2020-10-22 2022-04-29 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. Method of depositing vanadium metal, structure, device and a deposition assembly
TW202223136A (en) 2020-10-28 2022-06-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Method for forming layer on substrate, and semiconductor processing system
KR20220076343A (en) 2020-11-30 2022-06-08 에이에스엠 아이피 홀딩 비.브이. an injector configured for arrangement within a reaction chamber of a substrate processing apparatus
TW202231903A (en) 2020-12-22 2022-08-16 荷蘭商Asm Ip私人控股有限公司 Transition metal deposition method, transition metal layer, and deposition assembly for depositing transition metal on substrate
USD980813S1 (en) 2021-05-11 2023-03-14 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Gas flow control plate for substrate processing apparatus
USD980814S1 (en) 2021-05-11 2023-03-14 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Gas distributor for substrate processing apparatus
USD981973S1 (en) 2021-05-11 2023-03-28 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Reactor wall for substrate processing apparatus
USD990441S1 (en) 2021-09-07 2023-06-27 Asm Ip Holding B.V. Gas flow control plate

Citations (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4590103A (en) * 1981-02-27 1986-05-20 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for the preparation of thin polyimide film
US4676637A (en) * 1984-10-24 1987-06-30 Hitachi, Ltd. Exposure apparatus with foreign particle detector
US4719125A (en) * 1985-10-11 1988-01-12 Allied Corporation Cyclosilazane polymers as dielectric films in integrated circuit fabrication technology
US4836905A (en) * 1987-07-16 1989-06-06 Texas Instruments Incorporated Processing apparatus
US4886975A (en) * 1986-02-14 1989-12-12 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Surface examining apparatus for detecting the presence of foreign particles on two or more surfaces
US5003062A (en) * 1990-04-19 1991-03-26 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Semiconductor planarization process for submicron devices
US5024570A (en) * 1988-09-14 1991-06-18 Fujitsu Limited Continuous semiconductor substrate processing system
US5321634A (en) * 1991-11-28 1994-06-14 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Automatic thin-film measuring apparatus
US5359407A (en) * 1990-12-28 1994-10-25 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Optical scanning apparatus, surface-state inspection apparatus and exposure apparatus
US5463459A (en) * 1991-04-02 1995-10-31 Hitachi, Ltd. Method and apparatus for analyzing the state of generation of foreign particles in semiconductor fabrication process
US5539514A (en) * 1991-06-26 1996-07-23 Hitachi, Ltd. Foreign particle inspection apparatus and method with front and back illumination
US5625170A (en) * 1994-01-18 1997-04-29 Nanometrics Incorporated Precision weighing to monitor the thickness and uniformity of deposited or etched thin film
US5872632A (en) * 1996-02-02 1999-02-16 Moore Epitaxial, Inc. Cluster tool layer thickness measurement apparatus
US5897710A (en) * 1992-03-27 1999-04-27 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
US5909276A (en) * 1997-03-31 1999-06-01 Microtherm, Llc Optical inspection module and method for detecting particles and defects on substrates in integrated process tools
US5940175A (en) * 1996-11-01 1999-08-17 Msp Corporation Method and apparatus for surface inspection in a chamber
US5943130A (en) * 1996-10-21 1999-08-24 Insitec, Inc. In situ sensor for near wafer particle monitoring in semiconductor device manufacturing equipment
US5963315A (en) * 1997-08-18 1999-10-05 Motorola, Inc. Method and apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer on a robotic track having access to in situ wafer backside particle detection
US5965679A (en) * 1996-09-10 1999-10-12 The Dow Chemical Company Polyphenylene oligomers and polymers
US6084664A (en) * 1992-11-30 2000-07-04 Hitachi, Ltd. Method of and apparatus for inspecting reticle for defects
US6166801A (en) * 1998-07-14 2000-12-26 Nova Measuring Instruments, Ltd. Monitoring apparatus and method particularly useful in photolithographically processing substrates
US6194234B1 (en) * 1999-06-04 2001-02-27 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Method to evaluate hemisperical grain (HSG) polysilicon surface
US6204917B1 (en) * 1998-09-22 2001-03-20 Kla-Tencor Corporation Backside contamination inspection device
US6284986B1 (en) * 1999-03-15 2001-09-04 Seh America, Inc. Method of determining the thickness of a layer on a silicon substrate
US6286685B1 (en) * 1999-03-15 2001-09-11 Seh America, Inc. System and method for wafer thickness sorting
US6309831B1 (en) * 1998-02-06 2001-10-30 Affymetrix, Inc. Method of manufacturing biological chips
US6544338B1 (en) * 2000-02-10 2003-04-08 Novellus Systems, Inc. Inverted hot plate cure module

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS63102225A (en) 1986-10-20 1988-05-07 Deisuko Haitetsuku:Kk Wafer boat for vertical type semiconductor thermal treatment equipment
US6420864B1 (en) 2000-04-13 2002-07-16 Nanophotonics Ag Modular substrate measurement system

Patent Citations (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4590103A (en) * 1981-02-27 1986-05-20 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for the preparation of thin polyimide film
US4676637A (en) * 1984-10-24 1987-06-30 Hitachi, Ltd. Exposure apparatus with foreign particle detector
US4719125A (en) * 1985-10-11 1988-01-12 Allied Corporation Cyclosilazane polymers as dielectric films in integrated circuit fabrication technology
US4886975A (en) * 1986-02-14 1989-12-12 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Surface examining apparatus for detecting the presence of foreign particles on two or more surfaces
US4836905A (en) * 1987-07-16 1989-06-06 Texas Instruments Incorporated Processing apparatus
US5024570A (en) * 1988-09-14 1991-06-18 Fujitsu Limited Continuous semiconductor substrate processing system
US5003062A (en) * 1990-04-19 1991-03-26 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Semiconductor planarization process for submicron devices
US5359407A (en) * 1990-12-28 1994-10-25 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Optical scanning apparatus, surface-state inspection apparatus and exposure apparatus
US5463459A (en) * 1991-04-02 1995-10-31 Hitachi, Ltd. Method and apparatus for analyzing the state of generation of foreign particles in semiconductor fabrication process
US5539514A (en) * 1991-06-26 1996-07-23 Hitachi, Ltd. Foreign particle inspection apparatus and method with front and back illumination
US5321634A (en) * 1991-11-28 1994-06-14 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Automatic thin-film measuring apparatus
US5897710A (en) * 1992-03-27 1999-04-27 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
US6084664A (en) * 1992-11-30 2000-07-04 Hitachi, Ltd. Method of and apparatus for inspecting reticle for defects
US5625170A (en) * 1994-01-18 1997-04-29 Nanometrics Incorporated Precision weighing to monitor the thickness and uniformity of deposited or etched thin film
US5872632A (en) * 1996-02-02 1999-02-16 Moore Epitaxial, Inc. Cluster tool layer thickness measurement apparatus
US5965679A (en) * 1996-09-10 1999-10-12 The Dow Chemical Company Polyphenylene oligomers and polymers
US5943130A (en) * 1996-10-21 1999-08-24 Insitec, Inc. In situ sensor for near wafer particle monitoring in semiconductor device manufacturing equipment
US5940175A (en) * 1996-11-01 1999-08-17 Msp Corporation Method and apparatus for surface inspection in a chamber
US5909276A (en) * 1997-03-31 1999-06-01 Microtherm, Llc Optical inspection module and method for detecting particles and defects on substrates in integrated process tools
US5963315A (en) * 1997-08-18 1999-10-05 Motorola, Inc. Method and apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer on a robotic track having access to in situ wafer backside particle detection
US6309831B1 (en) * 1998-02-06 2001-10-30 Affymetrix, Inc. Method of manufacturing biological chips
US6166801A (en) * 1998-07-14 2000-12-26 Nova Measuring Instruments, Ltd. Monitoring apparatus and method particularly useful in photolithographically processing substrates
US6204917B1 (en) * 1998-09-22 2001-03-20 Kla-Tencor Corporation Backside contamination inspection device
US6284986B1 (en) * 1999-03-15 2001-09-04 Seh America, Inc. Method of determining the thickness of a layer on a silicon substrate
US6286685B1 (en) * 1999-03-15 2001-09-11 Seh America, Inc. System and method for wafer thickness sorting
US6194234B1 (en) * 1999-06-04 2001-02-27 Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Method to evaluate hemisperical grain (HSG) polysilicon surface
US6544338B1 (en) * 2000-02-10 2003-04-08 Novellus Systems, Inc. Inverted hot plate cure module

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040225399A1 (en) * 2003-04-28 2004-11-11 Kuo-Lang Chen Wafer assessment apparatus for a single wafer machine and method thereof
US20050187647A1 (en) * 2004-02-19 2005-08-25 Kuo-Hua Wang Intelligent full automation controlled flow for a semiconductor furnace tool
WO2006078631A2 (en) * 2005-01-18 2006-07-27 Suss Micro Tec Inc. High-throughput bond tool
WO2006078631A3 (en) * 2005-01-18 2007-11-15 Suss Micro Tec Inc High-throughput bond tool
US7975744B2 (en) 2005-01-18 2011-07-12 Suss Microtec Inc. High-throughput bond tool
WO2009112821A1 (en) * 2008-03-11 2009-09-17 Metryx Limited Semiconductor wafer monitoring apparatus and method
US20110015773A1 (en) * 2008-03-11 2011-01-20 Robert John Wilby Semiconductor Wafer Monitoring Apparatus and Method
US9349624B2 (en) 2008-03-11 2016-05-24 Metryx Limited Semiconductor wafer monitoring apparatus and method
US20130209706A1 (en) * 2010-04-21 2013-08-15 Ald Vacuum Technologies Gmbh Apparatus and method for coating substrates using the eb/pvd process
US8735182B2 (en) 2011-06-07 2014-05-27 Imec Method for detecting embedded voids in a semiconductor substrate
EP2533276A1 (en) * 2011-06-07 2012-12-12 Imec Method for detecting embedded voids in a semiconductor substrate
CN107437520A (en) * 2016-05-27 2017-12-05 细美事有限公司 Apparatus and method for handling substrate
CN107437513A (en) * 2016-05-27 2017-12-05 细美事有限公司 Delivery unit and the apparatus and method for handling substrate
US11024517B2 (en) 2016-05-27 2021-06-01 Semes Co., Ltd. Apparatus and transfer unit which measures weight remaining on a substrate
CN112885730A (en) * 2016-05-27 2021-06-01 细美事有限公司 Transfer unit, and apparatus and method for processing substrate
CN107437520B (en) * 2016-05-27 2021-10-29 细美事有限公司 Apparatus and method for processing substrate
US11804386B2 (en) 2016-05-27 2023-10-31 Semes Co., Ltd. Transfer unit, and apparatus and method for treating substrate

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US6902647B2 (en) 2005-06-07

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US6902647B2 (en) Method of processing substrates with integrated weighing steps
JP4919539B2 (en) Cassette storage apparatus, semiconductor processing station, and operation method thereof
US6079927A (en) Automated wafer buffer for use with wafer processing equipment
TWI416651B (en) Substrate processing apparatus
US6331095B1 (en) Transportation system and processing apparatus employing the transportation system
US6641350B2 (en) Dual loading port semiconductor processing equipment
US6368051B2 (en) Multi-position load lock chamber
US7409263B2 (en) Methods and apparatus for repositioning support for a substrate carrier
US7637707B2 (en) Apparatus for storing and moving a cassette
US20070065581A1 (en) Substrate processing system and method
US4955775A (en) Semiconductor wafer treating apparatus
KR101355693B1 (en) Substrate carrying equipment
JPH10256346A (en) Cassette transferring mechanism and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus
JP7110483B2 (en) SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS, SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD AND PROGRAM
JP3438826B2 (en) Processing device and method of using the same
CN111668134A (en) Method for manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and program
JP2995479B2 (en) Substrate transfer method in vertical heat treatment equipment
JP3176153B2 (en) Semiconductor manufacturing equipment
US20020153578A1 (en) Wafer buffering system
JPH0469917A (en) Multiple compartment type vacuum processor
JP2615171B2 (en) Semiconductor manufacturing equipment
JPH06329209A (en) Wafer cassette carrying device of semiconductor manufacturing device
CN117153748A (en) Wafer transmission method independent of task transfer

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: ASM INTERNATIONAL N.V., NETHERLANDS

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HASPER, ALBERT;REEL/FRAME:013264/0070

Effective date: 20020827

AS Assignment

Owner name: ASM INTERNATIONAL N.V., NETHERLANDS

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BAJOLET, PHILIPPE GEORGE M.;REEL/FRAME:015594/0393

Effective date: 20040823

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

CC Certificate of correction
FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

Free format text: PAYER NUMBER DE-ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: RMPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

FPAY Fee payment

Year of fee payment: 4

FPAY Fee payment

Year of fee payment: 8

FPAY Fee payment

Year of fee payment: 12